The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-04-09

W mere are III you lelloWS SOllS, any
how? Far?"
"Well, l should rather jedge so.
You know old Abe?"
THAT big brindle steer no one can
catch?"
"The same. Tom jenkins calls him
his'n, but b'lieve he was with Injuns
afore he came on this range. 1t don't
matter, He might b'long to the devil,
for no fence kin STAN agin him. Well,
we're all agoin' to hunt him down, and
you bet we'll have some fun!'
II wish could CO." sighed Jimmy.
"Come right along, them" was the
mans invitation, turning his bearded
face full on the hesitating listener.
"This is the very best chance to find
the little girl, and your folks needn't
know nothing more. Wen spare
grub and You kin help us along. Come
on"
"I-don't know-yes, I WILL" pro-
! nounced Jimmy, rapidly changing the
uncertain for the resolute tone, as he
started up his reluctant pony.
81 tell you what it is, Jem," said a
little Irishman, in confidence, "fnan-
cially, that's the worst little horse l
ever see.
She'll 90 like thunder when she
! gets started" protested the boy, much
hurt 1t was by no means pony to
Drag of, but being his only article Of
property, he could not afford to laugh
very heartily at such sallies.
He himself was nothing extra to look
at, if you came to that. A long, thin
figure, clad in the rustic's coarse gar
ments; broad felt hat concealing his
brown hair, and tapping over his thin
face-a face fairly disfgured with great
freckles, but lit by pair of gray eyes
alive with boyish love of excitement
Jim Rowell was not bad fellow, but
the delight, the rapture of bounding
over the prairie in company and OF
horseback was always too strong {
temptation for his prudent resolves.
A ride, long, swift, glorious ride oveI
sandy levels; between brown bluffs
past an occasional farm house, wher,
stacks stand yellow and tall; through
rafting skeletons of thickets and shall
low sweeps of water; up, down, ant
across, until the patriarch of the herd
starts up before them. The cattle h'
has been lying among scatter out lazily
but old Abe meets his foes with tn
glare of a gladiator.
A fierce brute he is, and strong
Look at his wide horns, circ'ed wit
the rings of many years; at the power
full muscles showing beneath his tawn,
hide, and the long limbs that hav
crushed through many strong in
closure. Nothing about him tells o
ownership; there fs1igitheF- eHHt -en- Hi
ears or scar on his hide. No roundup
could gather him in, nor corral secur
. him; therefore, a convention of "coN
r punchers" suggested general actio
J against the outlaw, and, tac words wer
, uttered at a time when any diversio
was welcome. To mortals condemne
to the endless solitude and soul wearin
| monotony of those vast level plains
/ the time must come when even
, shooting scrape is hailed with glad +,
lief.
"Thar he is boysr shouts Tol
t jenkins. Thar! Iietch him and he
: your'n.
t "A devil prise st the best; but hei
goes" muttered Thompson, pushin
forward with the boy beside him.
9 Hi? The dogs are at him, with bari
e that become yelps as the brindle Civ,
them taste Of his heels. Down Il
e valley, over the uplands and the dl
c creek bottoms, away they 60, in
noisy race against the crisp west win
o a tornado of Gathering hoofs, jinglir
|, spurs and loose trappings. The ST
d beats hot upon them, the dust flies I
n from the plain. One by one the do,
k sneak off to the rear, the ponies fla
3 yet old Abe is as fresh for break of
r, mile or so, as ready for savage da
TT at q timid horse or rider
d "Give it up, He amt wuth it!' C
I, the weaker spirits, drawing rein upt
e. a hill, the defiant brute eyeing the
from safe distance.
il "Do ez you please" growled Lol
lie Jake, "but eff you fellers quit l won
ly that's all"
N Neither will l, put in Jimmy, loo
is ing foolish, as laugh was raised at |
t, expense. Because a square look
IN you won d scare him to death a
ct day" He turned away, glad to ha
Us avenged his former defeat. That rea,
ness of tongue which others laughed
j. and passed over in the boy angered t
re herder unaccountably. Besides, he f
m sore at the failure of his boast to c;
Il. ture the prize in an hour
"Come on boys" proposed Jenkii
IT. my camps just around the bend.
pit we can run him into the big stone c.
he raj we've got him, sure; if not lie